Invasive Management Area (IMA) - Volunteer Program

Climbing vines a problem? Shrubs with thorns keeping you from
exploring the woods? Many invasive plants are preventing us from
enjoying our forests and are degrading our natural ecosystems.

Want to help with parkland restoration or use cool tools? Students
or scouts, do you need to earn some community service hours?

IMA is the program for you! Check out our website, then call or
email us to get involved and help remove non-native invasive species
and plant native species.

What is IMA?

The Invasive Management Area (IMA) Volunteer Program is a
community-based project designed to reduce invasive plants on our
parklands. This unique, volunteer-led program gives residents an
opportunity to connect with people while taking care of the natural
resources around us. IMA enables community members to help protect
the plants and wildlife of Fairfax County's forests while spending
time outdoors, meeting new people and restoring natural habitats.

IMA is more than just pulling weeds. Key components of this program
are habitat restoration and a long-term commitment to the park.
Invasive plant species are difficult to remove and control, but with
the help of IMA volunteers, undesirable non-native, invasive plants
are removed manually and native plants returned to the habitat. The
job of volunteers doesn’t end once the invasive plants are removed,
often it is necessary to plant native species. Native plantings take
place in the spring and fall.

The IMA project began in 2006
with just 20 sites. Since then, over 35 acres have come under IMA
management and there are 40 active IMA sites. Many more acres have
been treated and restored by contractors and staff. The goals of IMA
are:

Focus community support and momentum to do something about non-
native, invasive plants

Develop healthy habitats such as meadows and forests that are
free of invasive plant species

Currently, funding is provided by the Fairfax County Board of
Supervisors in support of the Environmental Agenda. Grants were
provided by REI in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Additional funding
was provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's
Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grant Program in 2007 and a donation
from the Biz World students of Westlawn Elementary School in 2008.

What are Invasive Plants?

Invasive species are, generally, non-native species that cause
ecological or economic harm. They share certain
characteristics, such as being able to mature quickly, generate
many offspring and can tolerate a wide range of habitats. For
example, Japanese stilt grass will produce seed in as little as 1%
sunlight!

Because of the characteristics that allow a species to
successfully establish in new territory, invasive species make
terrible neighbors. They out-compete native species for the same
resources, eventually reducing the populations of native species
(and in some cases even removing species from a community
altogether). Some invasive species have more complicated effects
which have ramifications higher up the food chain, resulting in
fewer native birds and wildlife. The third main effect of invasive
species is that they have the ability to alter natural functions of
communities and ecosystems by changing the soil conditions.

Species that IMA Volunteers may work on:

Although the prevalence of invasive, non-native plants throughout
parkland is of concern, habitat recovery following an invasion is
still a relatively new concept. There are over 200 different species
of invasive plants found in Fairfax County. Below are species that
many of the IMA volunteer sites focus on, as they respond well to
manual control.

Garlic mustard has been linked to
poor regeneration of our native oak-hickory forests, where it can
change the soil chemistry such that it discourages native species
from growing near it.

English Ivy threatens the health
trees by weakening the bark and eventually growing over the top of
the tree which cuts it off from sunlight. Eventually Enlgish ivy will
kill trees it is growing on if not removed.

Stiltgrass is the dominant plant in
the understory many forests and forms a carpet that does not allow
any native species through. Seeds can last in the soil for up to 7
years.

Winged Euonymus or Burning Bush can
escape cultivation and grow in the natural areas.

Mile-a-Minute grows very fast
forming a dense carpet and can grow over native species.

Japanese honeysuckle is a
non-native vine that strangles trees and other native vegetation.
Donâ€™t let itâ€™s sweet smelling flowers fool you, this plant is a
real threat!

Pachysandra creates a monoculture;
displacing and out competing native plants.

Once touted for its benefits to
birds, Autumn olive, has now out-competed much of the other
vegetation in some stream valleys and meadows

Wintercreeper creeps along forest
floors and up trees where it will mature and fruit, damaging the tree
and eventually killing it.

The IMA
calendar is full of opportunities to volunteer. We welcome
youth, adults, scouts and groups. If you have a group that would
like to volunteer but do not see a date that works for you please
contact the IMA coordinator who would be happy to assist placing
your group.

The minimum age to volunteer is 11, although there are occasional
opportunities where younger children can participate. Please
contact the IMA Coordinator to discuss, Volunteers 13 and younger
must be accompanied by an adult.

Students that need community service hours- please bring your form
to be signed at the end of the workday.